Centre for Energy Research , Te Whare Rangahau Pūngao

A renewable energy resource is naturally occurring and theoretically inexhaustible, such as energy from the sun or wind. By definition this excludes energy derived from fossil fuels or nuclear fuels.

It is a source of energy that is not depleted when used as it is constantly replenished and will never run out in terms of human lifetimes. Renewable energy sources include solar radiation and the motion of the wind, rivers, waves or tides.

Renewable energy technology is a unit of equipment or an appliance that can capture the renewable energy resource and convert a portion of it into electricity. Heat may be a by-product.

Energy efficiency is using energy wisely and economically to provide the service required, such as:

• traveling from one place to another
• heating a home
• driving electric motors in a factory
• using low Wattage lighting in a school or commercial building.

Energy conservation is not wasting energy. This could mean walking down a flight of stairs instead of taking the lift, turning off electrical appliances when they are not being used or deciding not to travel to a given destination.

Energy management embraces all of these but also how and when to use the energy in order to keep the costs down as much as possible.

Find out more on the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) website

The Centre for Energy Research conducted solar water heater tests in 2000 for EECA and the NZ Consumer Association. The report was published in the January/February 2001 Consumer magazine.